


Assassinating Ariel

by ShitWriter



Category: Buzzfeed The Try Guys (Web Series), Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Death, F/F, I saw this moodboard so I did this, I too am a spectator watching my vessel create this, M/M, Smut, Uhhh truly idk y'all, Violence, basically killing eve crossover, definitely gonna fuck tho, people will be dying yall, truly wilding in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-03-29 16:49:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19023964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShitWriter/pseuds/ShitWriter
Summary: Ariel, an agent of a newfound government agency, is tasked with bringing down an assassin targeting major financial players affecting her agency.Becky is an assassin part of a national ring, that's never failed and won't start now, definitely not because of a pretty face with soft hair.





	1. Mystery Girl

**Author's Note:**

> Not my first fic, but haven't gotten any better since then 💋 idk what a beta is, & at this point I'm too scared to ask
> 
> (also ariel/becky idk but the moodboard i saw was very convincing)

"Denisse, Den- Ariel,” agent twelve called at Ariel, “Ariel, I...I am begging you,” throwing himself at her, jeans tearing at the knees upon contact with the warehouses cement floor, his chair fallen on its back wheels loudly swivelling.

 

“Please. Please don’t.” His hands were on her knees, fingers grappling at the military grade material, his tears easily sliding off her to the ground. Dark splatters bloomed in the cement as he lost control of himself.

 

Ariel turned away, eyes closed, she couldn’t bear to watch Agent Twelve, on his knees, shaking, sobbing, gasping for air and pleading for.. for something that was killing him, was soul crushing. It had the air of watching a childhood friend begging for a drug, an addiction they insisted they didn’t have and yet every ounce of self respect was expelled from their self for- for another chance to kill themselves.

 

Agent Twelve, A.K.A. Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Goldsworth, A.K.A. Ryan Bergara; head agent of mortem affairs  in a new federal division, birthed from Britain’s MI6 an America’s best agents from any and all branches, United Federal Affairs- UFA. He was a headagent, meaning he had a brain, he was funny, and we'll networked. But more importantly he was invaluable, Ryan didn’t just give orders- little known fact: his title came from always being ten steps ahead of everyone, it took everyone else two steps to realize there was a plan- he created meticulous plans, infallible ones that always, always, ended to in success, more akin to art, like a broadway director with actors who didn't even know they were following a script. And none of that mattered anymore, Ryan had done the one thing the U.S government could and would never forgive; he’d embarrassed them.

 

Ryan had fallen in love, despite what he, and many would say in his defense, with a serial killer, and not just any killer, of course not- god looked them all in their beady, greedy, stupid little eyes and mocked them, _laughed_ at them. No, Ryan fell in love with Shane Madej; no known aliases, he didn’t need them, he was good- a professional, truly. More morbid agents would say what he did was an art, an unknown artist- all the better- a banksy of vigilantes. Killing those that deserved it, those that would never hear a whisper of justice in their living days because of money, protected by money, and agencies. He'd never sliced anyone important, not enough, to get on their radar or left anything behind to clue them in on his identity. Until.. until he’d gone and killed one of their own. Agent Elap, A.K.A. Harrison Hill, A.K.A. Garrett Warner, friend to many, deadly jokes, even deadlier chemical concoctions, and apparent inexcusable sinner in Madej's eyes. So, naturally, he carved 'moneybags’ all over his body.

 

This would be alarming for any agency, of course, except they’d all been erased. Every single trace of them had been scrapped of the surface of the earth and, more cumbersome, the internet. Pictures, videos, accounts, everything, including families. They were so far gone that most of them didn’t even have fingerprints anymore- and those that didn’t, didn't have fingerprints to take anymore. For a lowly, serial killer to get them, to best them was, to say the least, alarming.

 

Shane Madej had to be handled.

 

Ryan Bergara would handle him.

 

Perhaps, in a different life Bergara and Madej would've been an all consuming united front, an unstoppable force besotted with an immovable force, wholly obsessed with the other, and not scared of burning the world to show off- more importantly an alive couple. But in Ariel's life all they were was a broken set.

 

“Goddammit, Ryan!” Ariel strode away, pacing around him, there was an energy buzzing inside her and she didn’t know if it was for punching or curling into a ball cry for a lost friend. “How could you love a murder? Ryan? He murdered your partner of ten years!” Her pleads bounced from his defeated, trembling body, off the aluminum warehouses walls and dissolved into the nights inescapable heavy atmosphere.

 

“Magpie,” a booming voice called her from just outside, “has the subject been apprehended.” Each word sending a strike of fear to her spine, for him. For Ryan. Ryan whose Shane was ten feet behind them, nothing but a haunting ghost now. Ariel answered, “Yes, Ma'am.”

 

She stopped midstep, collected herself and strode towards his crumpled body. Both in a calm, numb headspace.

 

“Ryan Steven Bergara,” Ariel loudly declared, handcuffing him, as she lead this sad shell of a man to the wolves- their boss, “You are under the arrest for aiding and abetting, conspiracy of murder, car theft, robbery...”

 

With every charge she dropped on him, he’d let out a whimper, single tears falling from his empty eyes.

 

Outside several of their colleagues greeted them, armed to the teeth with knives, guns, and toxic gasses. Blending into the night with their government produced dark blue or green armor. As Ariel handed him over to Agent Cord she finished her list. He lost it.

 

“No!” he struggled against the agent, jabbing stomachs with elbows and connecting boots with faces, “NO, NO! That was you, everyone of you! You all did that, I- I would never. I-.” Agents tackled him, as if the night sky itself had personified, dark shadows lunged and held him down, “I loved him” he strangled out, the night holding his throat, his face red, eyes bulging but steady, glittering with desperation, meeting any gaze that dared meet his, “I. Loved. Him.”

 

A fatal ringing shot from above, they all flinched, even the sharpshooter above the warehouse.

 

Ariel stood there, in the background, her brain replaying his struggle, specifically what had done him in, her words.

 

Anybody looking at her wouldn’t know better. Blond hair rustling with the wind, shiny blue eyes that seemed to never focus shining like ocean waves catching sunlight but not tears. But all the ugly was inside her, the turmoil, the words and whispers and doubts and regrets. The last charges, her very last words that threw Ryan into his reckless death.

 

“and the murder of one Shane Madej."

 

* * *

 

 

Buzzing murmurs, bright screens and spontaneous jurisdiction arguments eruptedw were common occurrences within UFA, while outside a collection of swarming gray, black, navy, and a daring brown suit, were all outsiders saw of the new corporate building that had popped up in what seemed overnight.

 

UFA, United Foreign Affairs, was a government agency in the early stages of existing, like a free trial, UFA 1.0. If anything were to fail, go horribly wrong, including international blunders, it would all be swept under the rug, nothing happened and everybody can hang up now please. Currently, only Britain and the U.S were involved- everybody else, unbeknownst to UFA, had already made their global cop club and just...ran out of invitations, except for México and South America, they're cool- with some agent transfer and intelligence trades. Nobody, but the government and funders, could know of their existence.

 

And that was all Ariel knew. Or needed to, anything more, besides missions, was on a need to know basis. For now, all she needed to know was she was an agent, she gathered intel, would never put her agency nor her colleagues on the line and she followed orders. Safe. Reliable.

 

She opened the door of the black steeled building, ignoring the stares local business owners were giving her, flashed her ID at security, who did something he'd never done before- acknowledged her existence, and entered the elevator to floor eight. She'd just finished the report on gathered info, a field job, nothing too hard, easy.

 

Something that's happening too often, Ariel felt, there were guns, and lies, and men with sharp smiles, it was all mundane, boring nothing that made her… feel.

 

The elevator opened, stepping out she sighed, another day, another secret agency day.

 

Ned Fulmer lunged out of the corner, she'd barely stepped out and already her hand went to her gun.

 

“Congratulations!” He exploded, eyes wide, his smile even wider. “Oh my god, Ariel, this is great news! You're gonna be wonderful, literally the smartest woman in the _entire_ world.” Ned scooped her hands, patted her shoulders, genuine.

 

“I- wait, wha- Ned,” Ariel began, trying to get him to breath, to talk to her. Unfortunately, he was in the elevator already.

 

“Don't worry, ok, you'll be fine,” he smiled, the elevator closing as he threw his thumbs up at her.

 

Ariel stood, mouth agape, mind racing, staring at the now dormant elevator.

 

Bewildered, confounded, dumbfounded, she thought, what? What happened what did I do?

 

Nothing, she reasoned, maybe news of her last mission? She had gathered some information on an explosive. But.. that had been the easiest thing ever, nothing compared to last weeks extraction. Mission Rogue 12.

 

Ariel froze, 12, agent 12.

 

“Ariel!” a voice called at her, loud and ringing, or that's how it felt. Nobody really screamed in UFA.

 

“Ariel, by me!” Ariel finally focused, having walked slowly she'd arrived at the main offices. It was Maggie Bustamante, forensics, all types, the woman was here to take over, and she was bright, excitement in her splayed out fingers, wide eyes and big smile.

 

Why? What had happened?

 

“Ariel, Ariel,” Maggie huffed as she finally got her hands on Ariel's shoulders. “Ugh this is so amazing,” she teared out, “I'm so happy for you, baby”.

 

Ariel did not know what was going on, her eyebrow was furrowed, eyes squinty.

 

“What?”

 

“What? What do you mean what.”

 

Ariel grabbed Maggie's hands, and using her secret agent abilities, led her to a more secluded location, next to a water fountain and plastic leafy plant.

 

“Maggie, “ Ariel grabbed her friends face and looked into her eyes. “What is happening.”

 

Something had happened, security who winked at her, Ned, now Maggie.

 

“Your promotion.”

 

Ariel snapped back to Maggie.

 

“What? What” she frowned, “‘promotion’.”

 

“Nobody told you?” Maggie seemed to be getting it now. “Ariel, you're Mortem Affairs headagent now.” she paused. “You got Agent Twelve's position.”

 

Ariel's eyes widened.

 

“When.. When did this happen,” she grabbed Maggie's shoulders, more strength in her grip now. “Who did this. Why did they do it. I,” Her hand flew to her chest, she couldn't possibly take Ry- Twelve's spot. “I can't, no it can't be me, I'm not adeq-”

 

“Magpie.”

 

Ariel and Maggie jumped, it was an authoritative voice, one that made you want to do, to be, better than enough simply because they expected the best.

 

“Ma'am,” they both straightened their spines, hands behind their backs.

 

“Agent Llofrudiaeth?” Ma'am raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

 

Maggie stepped forward, calm, confident in her actions, “Informing Magpie of the autopsy report.” Maggie should've been headagent.

 

Ma'am smiled, “Liar.”

 

Agent Ana made direct eye contact, and nodded, before she walked away. Didn't say goodbye, or look back at Ariel. There was no real threat, if Maggie's lies were dangerous ones she'd've been shot on the spot.

 

“Magpie,” this time Ariel didn't jump, or stand still, she followed Ma'am as she headed towards some stairs.

 

Ariel was quite, for a good thirty seconds. Pathetic, but she need more information on this 'promotion’ deal.

 

“Ma'am,” Ariel began. And was instantly interrupted.

 

“The promotion, I assume?” Ma'am stopped smiling kindly down at her.

 

Familiarity between workers created a bond, the stronger the bond  the more compliant.

 

She nodded. “I acquired Agent Twelves… position?” she met Ma'ams gaze without flinching. UFA didn't house cowards, if the agency got on that one of them couldn't handle the pressure they'd disappear.

 

“Is that not what promotion means, Magpie?” Ma'am asked amusedly before letting out a breath through her nose. “Admittedly, I do not understand your surprise, Agent Twelve is” she looked away then back at Ariel, a small smirk on her lips “currently unavailable. But that doesn't mean UFA shuts down, too. Agreed?” She didn't wait for an answer, only kept walking towards the main offices.

 

That was all Ariel would get, the position had opened and she was to fill it. Any more questions and she would be unprofessional and her reputation as agent would come under question too.

 

As Ariel sat across Ma'am, in the Mortem Affairs headagent seat, she realized where she was.

 

It was like any other office. Glass walls, with a press of a button they'd turn opaque, that could host projections of other leaders, agencies sharing intel in whatever case they were on.

 

An office Ariel had never actually been in.

 

Because she wasn't in the need to know.

 

But now she was headagent, a leader, strategist and responsible for her friends lives.

Her breath hitched, shit, she thought, shitshitshit Shit.

 

“Magpie,” someone to her left greeted her.

 

Ariel brightened, breath steadied, she knew him, a friend.

 

“Kei-”

 

“Agent Fios,” Keith interrupted her, throwing an apologetic face on, he leaned towards her, “Sorry, in this office we gotta stick by the book, like flies to cow poop.” he brought his fist up, emphasizing the grip.

 

She snorted. “It's fine, I get it.”

 

The lights turned off and a calm, blue washed over them all, the  projectors were kicking in.

 

Agent Fios leaned back in, “Oh, by the way, congrats,” he smiled, his index finger twirled, hinting at everything, “the promotion.”

 

Once the meeting began Ariel learned three things;

One. Everyone knew of her promotion, Agent Twelve had served, then he didn't, and now she was there. Nobody questioned her, or welcomed her.

 

Two. The meeting was over an assassin they'd just got a lead on. They didn't know name, face, aliases, nor headquarters. There were no paper trails, her face always an angle from the cameras. But after extracting information from one of the assassins clients UFA learned of a victim's body, a very rich man who had donated a hefty amount to the cause, but more importantly where they would be in three days, and if they weren't stopped…well, that was three.

 

Three. This assassin was Ariel's first job. If she didn’t proceed she would be demoted, after the little mishap with Agent Twelve the agency couldn't have another failure. An assassin would be free because of her.

 

“Understood, Magpie?”

 

Ariel could feel everybody's narrowed eyes on her, their emotions, reluctance, resolution, skepticism. She nodded.

 

“Yes, Ma'am”

 

“I expect this to be over within a month,” Ma'am looked straight into Ariel's eyes, all business, “Meeting adjourned,” she stood up and left through a different door, or entered.

 

What did Ariel know, she didn't know anything.

 

“Alrighty,” Keith clapped his hands once they were out, “time for you to meet the idiots!” he laughed at his own joke. “I mean,” somebody looked at him disapprovingly as they walked by, “meet the spectacularly, intellectuals we have on our totally competent team!” he smiled with all his teeth at Ariel.

 

She smiled, and rolled her eyes.

 

Ariel knew the team, they'd all been trained in the same facility. Mortem Affairs had an NSA hacker, Agent Fios, Keith Habersberger, a CIA retrieval specialist, Agent Texarkana, Eugene Yang, two forensics, Wales NCA- National Crime Agency-, Agent Llofrudiaeth, Maggie Bustamante, dealt with bodies, while FBI, Agent Troi, Ned Fulmer, did chemicals- after Madej killed Garrett, Troi was ‘promoted’ too. Surprisingly, they, to an extent, also had a PR, Agent Holly Horsley, Holly Horsley, political relations. Holly was more… unorthodox, but she did the job. She was also hired by Ryan, no Agent. Agent Twelve.

 

Ariel wondered how Holly was dealing.

 

As Ariel entered Mortem Affairs, or Effies, she was greeted with a chorus of, her soul weeped with happiness, welcomes, of excitement.

 

“See, I told you, you'd be great.”

 

“Thanks, Ned” she replied smiling.

 

“Magpie,” a serious tone, an arched eyebrow. She made unwavering eye contact, “Agent Texarkana.” Eugene's face snapped in two, a large smile overtaking his face, “I am so glad it's you, somebody kept hinting that I was gonna be there,” a hand wavered at her, “and no, really, I mean this with my whole dignity, offense but fuck that.” She laughed, me too, kid.

 

“Ariel, my sweet,” Maggie launched at her, “I had no idea you didn't know,” she pulled apart, “I swear.”

 

Ariel shrugged, “It's fine,” she whispered back, “I mean it. We got this.”

 

Agent Horsley sauntered in, “Hello,” she smiled her mouth widening slowly, eyes closed and opened, entrancing, “Magpie.” Ariel would practice that move in front of a mirror.

Ariel looked at them all, Ned, Maggie, Eugene, Agent Horsley, and Keith, she smiled beautifically at them, “Let's get started.”

 

Keith presented the events information. Maggie explained the state of one of the victims. Eugene showed them how and where one could sneak through in the events building. Ned informed them on what venoms, poisons, and gasses could be used for a quick death, for the assassin, of course.

 

Holly nodded, and suddenly stood up, “Do. Not. Kill. Anybody else but the woman ok? Everybody there is ridiculously rich, yeah? They would literally buy any of us if they got bored.”

 

“Wait, how do you know they're a-”

 

“I don't,” Holly sniffed, “but I'll always play for the other team,” she tilted her head, knowingly, “know what I mean, Cutiepie?”

 

“Hm, yes,” Ariel shrugged her off, “very informative, everybody else know the plan?” she looked at them all.

 

Ariel was not Agent Twelve, she didn't have immaculate plans, nor did she research anybody's favorite socks, as that was exactly what had gotten him in a mess. He knew too much, learned criminals like the back of his hand, Shane he'd studied him to know him like his heart, and somewhere in between the late nights learning and back and forth banter Shane turned into Agent Twelves heart.

 

Ariel was smarter, she was efficient, and bored, god so, so bored, but she was safe and got things done with minimum compromising, clean cuts. This was like any other mission.

 

Her new team looked at her confused.

 

“Uh,” Maggie began smartly, “well.. I think we all have _ideas_ , but you know, we would-”

 

“Like,” Ned picked up her drift, “to _hear_ them from you.” He was pointing at her with both fingers, smiling confidently.

 

Keith high fived Maggie and Ned, “Nice job guys,” he whispered loudly, “I think we really nailed it.”

 

Holly walked out.

 

“We're dumb as hell, Magpie,” Eugene deadpanned, “and the only brain,” he pointed at himself, “is overcoming a hangover.. So please, enlighten us.”

 

“It's very simple,” she comforted them, “we know where they will hit,” she raised an eyebrow, “and who they will hit.”

 

“Oh..,” Eugene lightly tapped the table and pointed at her, “we infiltrate the event, and secure the target!”

 

Ariel smiled at them, “Ready to dance with an assassin."


	2. push me down another rabbit hole, touch me like i'm gonna turn to gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magpie and Assassiness meet for the first time, and maybe Ariel isn't very smart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taraan!
> 
> (Mirage, Alexandra Savior)

"Assassiness.”

Ariel turned sharply. It was just Eugene.

“Assassiness?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you know,” he looked at their team for back up.

Three days had passed and now they were all cramped inside a government issued black, catering van. The team had agreed that Eugene and Ariel would go to the event, checking the perimeter and guests, while Keith stayed in the van checking the cameras and sensors, Ned would also go, as the targets date, coincidentally, armed with toxins. Maggie wouldn't be attending, instead she was finishing the report of the assassins only known victim.

“Oh, you mean like a moniker?” Ned asked, “Assassiness… hmm don't you think it's a bit cartoonish?”

Keith scoffed, “Well I for one think you are a genius, Eugene,” he winked, and licked his lips.

Eugene joked, “Agent Fios, I am not scared of calling HR on a Friday night.”

Ariel's phone buzzed, “It's time.”

They all straightened in place. One of the screens in the van lit up, Ma'am stared out at them, waiting, Agent Horsley by her side..

“Headagent reporting,” Ariel began, “Mortem Affairs will be handling an assassin today at ten fifteen pm. Agent Texarkana and I will infiltrate the event as Denisse Layford, and Benjamin Mendez. We will be ensuring the building, and subject's safety, they will be guarded by Agent Troi, Henry Billith, acting as romantic partner. Within the van Agent Fios will stay, revising footage, guest list, and running them through facial recognition. Agent Llofrudiaeth is finishing autopsy, and standing as emergency backup.”

Ma'am nodded, “And how will the assassin be restrained?”

"With a small does of ornithorhynchus anatinus venom,” Agent Troi produced a small gun with a needle at the end, “the assassin will be in extreme pain for several minutes, enough to be handcuffed.”

“And if she does not go down easily, Agent Troi.”

“There is tetrodotoxin, Ma'am, or a shot of air to th-.”

They were all experienced agents, coming from various shady government agencies, murders were nothing new for them. It didn't feel good, but they were agents with a mission, they got things done.

“At worse each of us is equipped with guns, Ma'am,” Magpie supplied, “if we must, we'll shoot. Agent Fios can manage a technological disaster for cover."

Horsley sighed, “Very well, I do have to say Agents, I'm…” Ma'am looked at them all, “surprised at how quick you moved,” she settled on Magpie, “I wouldn't expect any less.”

The screen went black.

They all moved out.

Upon entering the building she realized how money there was in this event.

There were high ceilings, with grey white columns that rose all the way to the curved top, like a church. Buttresses climbing up and up and up, in between rococo paintings, the softest colors, tastefully washed out, baby blue depicting the skies, the palest peach kissing the dome in the shape of frolicking women, their dresses flowing behind them the shade of too watered lemonade. The women with their brown hair up in tendrils, a lock cascading down their naked shoulder coquettishly. It rivaled Italy's Duomo di Siena.

“Denisse,” Agent Texarkana leaned towards her, decked out in a three piece suit with emerald green rose prints, “if you will excuse me, I'll be taking some air.” He was going to check the bottom floors for anything suspicious.

As should Ariel, hundreds of guests had already arrived, with the growing crowd, and slight frenzy of the event planner she should take advantage and check at least a staircase. One more minute, Ariel reasoned to herself, just until Fois ensured a private channel for their earpieces.

And as Ariel admired the set, a very important character slipped by her.

* * *

 

Assassiness. She'd been prepping for this event, a Taurus 85 Ultralite with a pearl handle hidden in her evening bag, yes a lethal weapon, but pretty enough it wouldn't be as scandalous, perhaps slightly gasped at instead of handcuffed.

Of course, her actual preferred methods were the bloodier, the better. But incases like this, where one of her ex-clients had turned out to be a bother, she needed to act quick.

The gun was there, but when Martin Goads, her current job, began asphyxiating, and painfully spasming, because of a little poison called strychnine. When Martin Goads' brain died, who would blame her pretty gun?

She reached for a champagne glass, her eyes glimmering with anticipation. She'd never be suspect.

But for now she waited, watching people. She knew how to act, friendly, smiling, pretty but maybe the people here decided to change it up.

Assassiness grew bored. An easy job, no obstacles, nobody knew of her avocation, there was nothing to do now. The only thing that mattered was seeing everybody's reaction as the party boy began warping against himself.

Somebody pushed her, “Oh gosh, so, sorry,”

She looked behind her, it was the woman she'd passed earlier. The pretty blonde who was looking at the ceiling. Assassiness looked at her, a sharp black suit, not ugly, but it could be tighter, she thought. Her ass looked great.

She smiled at the woman in the suit, “It's alright,” throwing on a british accent, “there's no champagne on me.”

The woman gave her a small smile, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, it looked really soft. Softly, Assassiness named her, blushed bright red, a crimson shot on her slender face.

“I mean it,” she stepped towards Softly, a hand floating over her waist, “if anything that was the most exciting thing that's happened so far.”

Softly huffed out a laugh, “I- yeah sorry, again, I was looking for the restrooms,” she pointed at the stairs behind them, “and just got distracted.”

“By me?” Assassiness called over a waiter, a wide grin on her face, Goads could wait, she had time.

She watched as Softly's eyes widened. Her eyes roamed over Assassiness’, mapping her soft curves with her eyes. When the waiter finally passed by, she grabbed two, one for her, one for Softly.

“I love your dress,” Softly began.

“You look ravishing, too, baby,” Assassiness said, closing the distance between them.

“You mean..,” Softly was holding the alcohol in one hand, dumbly, “my suit? My suit looks ravishing?”

Assassiness smiled softly, her mouth curling sharply at the ends, as she drank from her flute, looking Softly straight in the eyes. “Whatever you want, Softly,” she bit her lip, her hooded gaze dropped to Softly's own mouth. A sigh escaped her, baby pink.

“Don't I look ravishing?”

They were against the stairs, nobody would be passing by, on this side of the building connections were practically nonexistent as to not disturb the original artwork. The event was a dozen steps away from their corridor, the man of the hour would be appearing in anytime soon, everybody would be distracted. Martin wasn't going anywhere, if anything he'd probably stay longer with his current date, she could kill them both, it didn't matter to her. She could also get a kiss, or more, right now.

“Sorry..,” Softly uttered, her own eyes on Assassiness’ mouth.

She leaned towards Softly, her nose bumping the others, she exhaled into her mouth.

“Tell me I look-”

Softly placed her hands on Assassiness’ hips, fingertips touching where the back of her dress didn't exist, and turned them. Now Assassiness had her back to the wall. This was exciting.

“You look ravishing in red.” Softly kept the same distance, then closed it. One arm wrapped her back, her other hand held Assassiness face, her palm holding her jaw, fingertips resting behind her ear, Assassiness let her, her tongue slipped between her lips, then out, Assassiness let her. Her eyes peeking, watching Softly, how she kissed, she kissed sweetly. Except there was something, something in her ear. Softly pulled them apart, a quick breath, and feverishly brought their lips back together, Assassiness sucked on her tongue, eliciting a mewling whine.

“Mag- De-Denisse!”

Softly jumped away from her, eyes dazed, before she focused on the handsome man who had interrupted them. He looked slightly alarmed, completely ignoring Assassiness, pulling Softly by the arm. Assassiness smiled tightly.

“Catch you later,” Assassiness turned from Softly's apologetic face.

She sighed internally, back to work, maybe she would make the paramour bleed. Make things interesting.

* * *

 

"So…”

Ariel reddened, “It wasn't-”

“No, no, that's why you don't have red lipstick on your chin.”

Ariel's eyes widened, rubbing her chin roughly. “I just- I was.. finishing reconnaissance..”

He quietly scoffed, “When we get back I'm telling,” he muttered, “got her Fios.”

“Oh, god,” a relieved voice boomed in their ears, “Y’all, let me tell you. I was so scared I'd messed up.”

Ariel quietly cut his rant, something about needing this job and high maintenance cats, “Mr. Mendez?” She invited him to dance, “You catch anything interesting?”

Eugene held her against him, slowly turning with the music, a smirk on his face, “Well, you'd know if you hadn't-”

'Mister Mendez, I am not scared of calling HR,” he laughed.

“Bottom rooms are good, Subject and Billith arrived seven minutes ago-”

“Shit,”

“-and apparently, every other floor has no connection. That's why Fios had a mini crisis.”

“I only cried three minutes and screamed for two of them,” Fios responded proudly.

He turned them rapidly, hand on Ariel's back he dipped them low, Ariel kept quiet. “I'm really sorry guys, I just,”

“Denisse met a pretty woman.”

Her eyes shot to him. How dare he.

Keith gasped, “Stuck her tongue down her throat and everything,” and gasped and gasped.

Ariel stepped on his soft leather shoes with her high, sharp, heels. And he took it like a champ. She smiled up at him, “Something wrong, baby?"

They continued without hiccups, no distractions. No women in tight, backless, red dresses that made her feel challenged. As if she were seeing how much she could push Ariel.

“Magpie, Millard,” Fios softly snapped Ariel out of her thoughts, “the night is dwindling down and nothing has happened.”

Eugene let out a rushed breath, they were in the farthest table away from the crowd, eyes checking each guest over for any signs of danger. Ariel right next to him, trying to stay cool. This was her first job, if she didn't catch the assassin her career would go down the drain and an innocent man would die.

“Think they won't show up?” Fios asked.

“No,” Ariel shook her head slightly, a drink covering her mouth, “they have to. Martin Goads is her job, according to our lead they never skip a job, a gala like this,” she took a breath, Ariel didn't want anyone to die, but if she had to this wasn't the worst setting, “crowds, frantic planners, and at least three fourths of the people here are drunk.” her eyebrow furrowed faintly, so where were was the assassin.

Eugene leaned towards her, “You didn't find anything on the cameras right?” She giggled as if he was whispering dirty nothing's into her ear.

Fios answered, “None, I also passed the guests through my facial recognition, nada, zilch-”

“Including staff?” Eugene pulled her closer.

Ariel glanced at a passing waiter. Ned could probably add more, except he couldn't. Since he'd be so close to the subject, they didn't want to scare him, he had no earpiece, just his knuckles, smarts, and voice to scream if anything happened, or he caught the assassin.

“Well,” Fios began, “we had already intercepted the list of waiters, y'know, staff, planners, cooks, entertainers and that. So-”

“You didn't run staff through the program?”

“There wasn't a need-”

“It doesn't matter when, or how they got in,” Magpie interrupted them, "but where they will be,” smiling she pressed her lips against Eugene's ear, “Goads will be murdered on stage, in front of everyone.”

* * *

 

Assassiness watched the floosie laughing and patting and clinging onto Goads. He was unshakeable, every time somebody came near Goads he'd put himself between them. At the moment the pretty, little man was on Martin's lap. She looked away.

Her plan was simple, nothing to extra, nor convoluted. Easy in and out, nobody would even spare her a glance. Assassiness would dress as a waitress, both the chef and event planner would be under too much stress to question her, easy. Once in she'd take off the costume, smoothen her dress, fix her blonde wig, and done. She'd smile, and sigh her way into Goads inner circle, then blow powder into his face and walk out. Once the drug took hold all eyes would be on Martin. They'd scream, gasp, and move as a wave, crashing everywhere. This was where she'd slip out. Amidst the fire burning the forest, the sparrow would flee- in a catering van, that would end at the bottom of a lake.

An easy plan, Assassiness sighed in content then frowned. But she was still in the event. Martin Goads was twenty minutes away from presenting the cure, give or take, to a rare form of cystic fibrosis. If Goads did not die today her client would lose alot of money, more importantly she would not get paid.

She cursed Softly. The pretty lady with baby pink lips, and a hidden fire, if her mouth was anything to go by, had she not kissed her, Assassiness would be better prepared for this loverboy, or 'Billi Baby'.

And then, her heart skipped a beat. Billi Baby got away from Goads, he'd been in his pocket for so long she had started thinking Billi knew something. But no, he walked away from Martin smiling, and promising something or other. It didn't matter, her target was alone. He had stood up and was walking towards the restrooms, alone and served in a silver platter just for her.

She waited until Billi disappeared, she followed his path with her eyes. Oh. It was her pretty lady and.. the man in the red rose suit. Assassiness watched Softly kiss the man's cheek.

She turned abruptly and followed Martin Goads. He hadn't gone far, just barely opening the door to the restroom.

“Oh!” She tripped on her heels into his arms. “I am,” she smiled at him, “so sorry really. I-I don't know what got into me.” She laughed loudly against him.

Assassiness’ hand slipped a folded pocket square out her purse.

“No,” he struggled to push her off, 'no, It's fine. It's fine, no foul done.”

Assassiness unfolded the square and raised her open hand in front of her mouth.

“Wha-,” Martin's eyes landed on the little mountain of powder, he chuckled nervously, “what's that..”

Assassiness pushed him through the restroom, as he fell she expertly covered his nose and mouth with the cloth. His eyes widened, in that moment he realized three things, they were alone in the dark. He hadn't told people were he'd gone. He was about to die.

She watched his eyes go through all these thoughts, and felt his muscles tense. Before he raised his arms, Assassiness’ fist slammed into his gut, his mouth opened, one big great inhale. And all the powder entered his system.

As she stood up, he sat up, “WHAT THE-”

Her pear handle made solid contact with the back of his head, a loud noise, covered only by the noise of his own party. The hit would knock him out for some seven minutes, with the amount of strychnine he'd taken Martin would die in twelve minutes. On stage with everybody watching.

Satisfied Assassiness stood up and fixed her dress. She had a show to watch.

* * *

 

“Guys, are we sure it's today?”

“Mr. Billith,” Ariel's eyes widened,“what are you doing here? You didn't leave your date alone did you?” she smiled tersely at him. "That would be rude."

With the subjects presentation looming it was only a matter of seconds for the assassin to make they're great appearance.

Eugene hugged Ned, muttering something into his ear, Ned's eyes widened before quickly schooling his face.

“Oh, leannan,” Billith answered with a Scottish accent, “it's no problem, me and Mr. Goads have a deep,” he winked at a passing guest who blushed furiously, “ understanding, but yes, yes, I must go, only passing for more chàmpagne.” Ned grabbed a whole bottle.

He leaned to hug Ariel, “Redhead waitress, shrimp. Present, finish,” he whispered furiously.

Benjamin and Denisse smiled at him goodbye.

She quickly turned to Millerd, “Redhead waitress-”

“Which one-,” both Millerd and Fios started.

“They serve shrimp, the subject will leave right after he finishes his speech.” Ariel concluded, already on the search for a redhead smelling of shrimp.

They separated the room into half, Texarkana took the bottom half, Magpie the side with their Subject, and Fios had an aerial perspective, passing every redhead through his programs again.

Several minutes of searching she couldn't find the waitress, Ariel realized she couldn't spot their subject either. She made eye contact with Troi, his eyes were subtly twitching, and his jaw tighten. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit They headed towards each other, when Arial saw her.

The ravishing woman whose mouth tasted of bubbly alcohol. She watched her, an involuntary smile spreading through her face, the woman was coming out of the restroom, the men's. She frowned. Then smoothed her face, she looked away, hoping the woman hadn't seen her.

Why was she in the men's, all the restroom in the first floor only had one stall. Maybe she was busy. But then where was their subject, Millerd would've said something if he'd found him loitering around without their personal agent.

Troi scooped her in an embrace, “Let's dance, caraid,” he beamed at her, betraying nothing, his only fault was that she knew him like her favorite shoes.

“Oh hold on, friend,” she smiled at him, swaying in place, she whispered, “eight o'clock, red.”

After a moment he muttered softly against her hair, “Men's restroom,” she nodded, "Get Mendez first," she added, watching him drift away.

Ariel scooped two glasses of champagne and headed towards the mysterious woman. A little detour, and Texarkana searched for Troi, and Fios the woman's identity.

“Oh whoops,” she purposely brushed their shoulders.

“It's fi-” the woman looked at Ariel, “Hey,” she breathed deeply.

“Hi,” Ariel handed her a flute.

“Thank-”

"I-"

“Sorry, you-”

“No, you-”

Ariel laughed, and shook her head. “Let's sit down first, then we'll fight to death to talk first, yeah?”

The women laughed, “Okay, okay.” Assassiness steered them to a table.

“Ooh, Miss Magpie,” Fios jokes, “don't fall for the killer.”

Ariel's blood ran cold. No. An urge to scream at Fios suddenly struck her, she punched it right back. Harmless flirting meant nothing. She wasn't Ry-Agent. Twelve. This, the woman, was now her job. And she always won

“By the way you're not going to win,” the woman sipped from her flute.

“Excuse me?” Ariel raised her eyebrows. Magpie didn't lose, she played it slow and careful, but she always won.

“The fight,” the woman stood up and sat closer to Ariel. “You said we were going to fight to death.”

“Oh,” Magpie chuckled, they were farther in a corner, close to an exit, in the shadows. A blindspot, Fios told her, he couldn't scan her face.

“I don't know, I'm pretty competitive,” Magpie tilted her head, closed and opened her eyes slowly, her smile growing lazily, “I’m a little crazy for winning.” Were their seats on purpose? Were they talking about something else?

A commotion began to the far left, Texarkana and Troi. But Ariel's attention was on the woman in front of her. She'd placed her drink on the table and crowded Magpie's space. Her eyes searching Ariel's eyes, Assassiness was looking at the reflection, the commotion.

Assassiness placed her hand on Magpie's knee, leaning close, so close. Nose tips just touching, “Show me, babygirl.”

Magpie raised an eyebrow, she wasn't about to be outdone. Her own hand cupped Assassiness waist, pulling her up as she stood up.

“Aren't you so eager to lose,” Ariel murmured into her lips, just enough space in between their mouths to feel the cool air every time she breathed in. She was leading them out, to the hallway. She hadn't realized her team was screaming, Fois now silenced to the lack of connection, Troi dealing with an unconscious subject, Millerd searching for Magpie. The crowd was buzzing, alcohol, boytoys, and an unconscious man? Gossip, they didn't know any better.

Magpie lead them a corner in front of the stairs, again, when Assassiness turned them. Ariels back to the wall, the Woman in control. She'd taken Magpies jaw, her other hand gripping Ariel's neck. Assassiness controlled Ariel's neck, her mouth, her tongue. She squeezed, Ariel gasped. A part of her brain knew the Woman could snap her neck, Assassiness other hand gripped Ariel's hair. Her nails raking through her scalp and all brain activity flatlined.

Ariel's leg curled around the Woman’s thigh, pulling her closer. She sucked on her tongue, trailing kisses down her neck.

“MAGPIE,” Agent Texarkana boomed, sliding out into the hallway.

Ariel moaned.

“MAGPIE.”

Magpie opened her eyes, Assassiness in front of her panting, eyes glittering in wonder, her mouth open, and flushed, panting an incredulous smile on her face.

“That's Assassiness!”

“Goads is dead,” Agent Troi rushed out from behind Millerd, in his hands a silver gun with a needle.

Magpie didn't question them, nor they her situation. Her lips tightened, from her jacket she pulled a gun.

Assassiness lunged towards the stairs, a laugh spilling out of her. Bullets tailing every step she made, wood splinters showering the air.

The party, the guests. They screamed and rushed out of the room, they heard glass shattering, wood splintering, and heels hitting the deck. As they moved to follow Assassiness they were hit with an onslaught of frantic, terrified party goers.

“Fios!” Magpie screamed.

“Not here!” Texarkana shoved his way to her, pulling her towards the stairs, Troi in tow, “there's no connection here!” He screamed over the thousands of guests.

“We need to get Assassiness FIRST.” Magpie responded back, fucking Assassiness and her red mouth.

Halfway over the stairs Troi muttered, “PR's going to skin us.”

The second floor had a door, and when they entered it was dark, they knew the layout but Magpie was the only one that knew the room. They stuck back to back, circling as they moved around.

“The windows are unbreakable,” Magpie whispered, “couldn't have gone through the door- next floor.”

“Why?” Texarkana panted out softly, gun pointed out, eyes jumping from shadow to shadow.

“Nah, I locked them.”

They all tensed then breathed in relief, had Magpie not been embarrassed to be sucking face with Assassiness she'd probably be smiling.

“I activated lockdown, if a door is closed nobody, nobody can open them.”

“Thank you, Fios.”

“I really hate it when there's no connection, by the way she wasn't in the roster.”

She felt Eugene tense, after a solid second he sighed, “Thanks, Fios.”

“Also she's not appearing in downstairs, or the outer camera feeds, so she's definitely with you guys.”

Magpie was suddenly pulled, she raised her gun, she didn't have a clear aim to shoot but she sure as hell would be bashing some brains out.

“Magpie!” Texarkana and Troi lunged for her before the door closed in their faces. Fois couldn't contact her.

Magpie twisted in the grip, punched up into an abdomen, her elbow slamming down on a hunched back, before pushing the weight off. She straightened her arms out, gun trained on Assassiness’ face.

Assassiness leaned against a far wall. A stripe of blood down her lip, she raised a finger to her lip, wiping the blood, staring at it before looking at Magpie.

Her mouth spread big, wild mock of a smile, she straightened slowly, Magpie stepped closer, her team slammed against the door. She backed the guns hammer.

They stood at the top of a bullet ridden staircase, staring at each other. Both hearts hammering in the other chest, not for each other but for the excitement. The first time either one felt something else than boredom or disappointment.

Magpie, Ariel, Denisse Layford, did not do action. But this, the most out of field thing in her life. And she was living. There was a thrill running through her blood she couldn't contain. She was smiling, not like Assassiness, not insane nor bloody. Worse. Magpie's smile held pure, unfiltered glee. She was ecstatic.

Assassiness’ eyes fixed on her smile, then jumped right back to Magpie's eyes, one eyebrow raised. One of her heels wiggled towards her, her head tilted, asking for permission. No, whatever it was, the answer was no.

“On your knees.” Magpie stepped forward. Gun raised at her neck.

“You really are crazy for winning, huh”

“On. Your-”

Assassiness took a step down the stairs.

Magpie centered her gun to the back of Assassiness head. "Stop," she growled.

She didn't hesitate, one more step down.

Magpie pulled the trigger. She didn't flinch.

Assassiness laughed and quickly finished three steps shy from the floor.

"Baby, that's a 75b shadow semi automatic 9mm handgun," Assassiness recited, turning dutifully to Magpie, "it only has sixtee-"

Magpie cut her off, she wasn't here to be lectured by a psychopath. She chucked the gun at Assassiness' head, hitting her square on her nose, Assassiness flinched, blood down her nostrils.

"Not," Magpie lunged down to her, "your baby!" She toppled them down to the ground. Her nails scratching at her neck, if she could just get some DNA to sample later.

"Did you just-," Assassiness gaped up at Magpie, dodging a fist coming down her face, "throw a gun at me." She was astounded, what the hell. Magpie didn't respond instead she punched Assassiness' mouth, again and again. Assassiness grabbed Magpie's forearms and rolled them over, against a wall, her knee connecting with Magpie's gut.

Magpie doubled over, before she could retaliate Assassiness pulled Magpie's hair, and slammed her face against her knee, once, twice, there now they were even. Assassiness swiveled away from her, grabbing her bag, forgotten in the kissing and bullets. As Ariel got on her knees and hands she heard an infallible click. A gun, she raised her head. Assassiness was standing over her, panting, pointing a gun at her.

Assassiness looked her over, her gaze burning Ariel, blood caught in her messy brown bun, wig thrown punches ago, and dripping down her throat, "What are you, NSA? CIA?" She snarled at her. "No.. you're new… UFA." Magpie's blood ran cold.

Magpie glared up at her, her blonde hair a mess, strands in front of her face, she spat blood at Assassiness' feet, "That is the fugliest gun I've ever seen."

Before she responded, Asassiness snapped her head to the exit door, and lunged away. One second, she was looming over Magpie's bleeding body, ready to fire, the next she was military crawling away. It didn't take Magpie long to figure out why. Bullets exploded into the hallway, glass shattered and rained down on her, her only defense a table she used as a shield, crawling into the ballroom. Just as abruptly as the bullets had began they stopped. The front door was thrown open as Ariel shielded herself with three round tables. People decked out in a familiar dark blue uniform bled into the building, guns pointing, and up the stairs and in all the rooms.

"Agent Magpie," Ariel looked up at one of the shooters, "Agent Llofrudiaeth reporting for backup."

Ariel breathed out, and nodded.

As acting headagent Ariel had to lead the operation. But all she could think about was Assassiness and how she'd failed, she'd made out with an assassin, she was like Ryan, she'd failed, each thought fainter than the last. Just like her vision, fading out.

"Ag-t -gpie," somebody faraway called to her, before everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblrs (unwritten-story-quotes), hit me up! My writing style is very much get to the point/articleesque so sorry for the pacing


	3. Janus the Roman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Assassiness, Magpie, the two sides of a coin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get to you, Honeysticks +Ricky M.
> 
> Get get to you/ I wanna get to you/ I wanna break every glass on the kitchenette floor/ Break, break every/ Brea- brea- break every glass on the/ Glass on the floor

One hand in front of the other, slowly shuffling forward on her knees, her dress hiked up her hips. If Assassiness could just crawl across the office she'd be scott free.

  "Rebecca," a woman called her name, echoing down the hallway.

  Assassiness sighed, her head hung and stood up, fixing her dress, so much for a good night's rest.

  "Lordega?" She said as she walked into the office. Lordega looked her over, an eyebrow raised, unimpressed. Assassiness' jaw tightened, her hair was a mess, and, alongside her ripped dress, neck, and mouth, bloody, she was probably sporting some bruises, too.

  "Have a seat." She leaned back in her chair, complete with the grand, dark mahogany desk, Lordega looked like an imposing CEO, if they had a bodycount near two hundred, and a gun under their desk. "Anything to report on Goads?"

  Assassiness stayed where she was, her heels were killing her, but what's a reputation without a little death.

  "Nothing out of the ordinary," Becky smiled and lied through her teeth. She leveled her breathing, slow and thought out, a drop of blood, sliding down her back.

  Lordega leaned forward, the TV in the corner lighting up, sounds of shots and screams flooding the sunbathed office. Becky silently closed her eyes, fuck. She didn't have to look at the screen to know it was feed of the event she'd barely escaped from.

  "That's," Lordega growled, "nothing?"

  "Goads is dead, no eviden-"

  Lordega stood up, her chair falling with force, she picked up and threw her office phone against the desk, "Motherfucking channel four," Assassiness didn't flinch, "is broadcasting _your work,_ broadcasting _us_ , _"_ Lordega sneered at her, her desk a mess but hair and suit impeccable. "Explain why I shouldn't _fire_ you." She placed her hands on her desk, leaning towards Becky, shoulders hunched over.

  Assassiness blinked calmly, deciding she would be taking a seat, her boss was positively feral looking at her as she wanted nothing more than to rip her throat out, and she had no doubt she could. Assassiness stayed calm.

  "Remember Tinman?" Assassiness started, C.C. Tinsley, or Shane Madej, had been their pride and joy- then he got stupid, his brains literally dripped down his ears, and fell 'in love' with a job.

  "Rebecca," Lordega said softly, a warning.

  Becky raised her hands placating her, "I made out with a UFA agent." She stated bluntly, she had plans on how to deal with the little thorn that was the agent, but first she needed her own boss in the know.

  Lordega breathed through her nostrils, they flared, in, out and in and out. Hypnotizing, really. She sat down, suddenly calm, and moved to grab her broken phone, the other reaching underneath her desk. Another Tinsley incident was unacceptable, she wouldn't have it. Lordega would kill her own before they were embarrassed. Again. Assassiness lunged forward, hand over the phone. "Move."

  "No."

  "Assassiness," Lordega pulled out her gun and pointed at Becky's nose. "It was a pleasure working-"

  "I have a plan," Becky interrupted her, usually she'd let her boss rant but this was the fourth gun pointed at her and she was a little more than done with this shit. Lordega didn't move, but she didn't shoot. Another death threat, another day. Lordega squinted at her, calculating, she sat back and smiled. "I knew we kept you around for a reason." Finally pulling the gun away from Becky's face. "Go on."

  Assassiness proceeded to pull shit out of her ass. She thought of going down Tinsley's path, creating a relationship with the agent, extracting information from her… but no, she needed something faster. Agent  'Magpie' didn't really seem like a threat, but between Becky and her, she'd kill Magpie in a second. Nothing more but a memory to, maybe, masturbate to.

  "I kill her." Asassiness stated simply.

  Her boss stared at her. Scientists said pure black eyes were impossible, a fantasy yet staring into her eyes Becky had no doubt black eyes were real and so were souls, and right now hers was drowning in the liquid onyx that were Lordegas eyes. "Oh, I thought you were going to fuck her silent," Lordega deadpanned. Hmm, ouch. "How do you propose you-"

  "I slipped a tracker in her drink."

  Lordega blinked at her, her smile growing back, slowly and meticulous. The cell in her brain twinged, Magpie had done that to her.

  Assassiness stood up and prepared to leave. "By tomorrow the agent will be no-"

  "No." Lordega turned to her computer. A person in all black came, picking up the broken pieces on Lordega's desk. "You're on leave."

  Assassiness froze, "Sorry?" Was all she could say for herself, 'on leave' she wasn't pregnant, or invalid. "I'm. Fine."

  Lordega didn't spare her a glance, "I've already dispatched Kornfeld, and," she glanced in her direction, "you haven't stopped bleeding all over my tiles." Assassiness wiped her face, smearing blood across her cheek, "Charming" Lordega muttered. Becky spun away from her, she was _fine_. "Go to the infirmary," Lordega called after her.

  Assassiness walked tersely to her room, she was going to cover wounds, clean herself, but no way in all freezing hell would she not hunt the Magpie. Softly would die by Assassiness' own hand.

  Becky worked for a very special little international club… of assassins. Various different names all over the world, but in the northern america, They were 'Fibonacci', a set that seemed worthless, they were so grand, so _intricate_ , anybody who didn't know what they were looking at, for, would think them simple maniacs. The Fibonacci ensure that rich people were kept in line, that poor people wouldn't be fatally affected, or destroyed. And sometimes that meant killing… some good eggs. Like Goads. And maybe they were a little maniacal, so what they saved people. Rich people were bad, and the Fibonacci would not _stand by_ as they got away with their sins.

* * *

 

  Ariel squirmed from the tight grasp on her jaw, the light pointing into her eyes was beginning to burn.

  "Stay..," the light moved to the other eye, "still, jesus."

  Ariel huffed, "Doctor-"

  "Maya, c'mon," agent Lios stepped back, putting away the flashlight, "after a decade of patching you up I'd hope we're past formalities."

  Ariel nodded, and quickly winced, her head was still throbbing even after being out for a good six hours. She was dirty and aching, a failed mission fresh under her nails. Today Ma'am would kill her. "Why am I… still dirty?" Ariel pressed her lips together, realizing how she sounded. "I mean not that it's your-"

  Maya waved her worries away, "We- bueno, forensics, checked for any DNA, right? Pero," she shrugged, "it came all blank, and uhh, I convinced them not to 'clean' you until you woke up." Maya smiled at her sweetly, her eyes squinting close, trusting, Magpie took notice, "I thought you'd like to have a modicum of control."

  Magpie froze, the muscles in her face tensed, did everybody know. Did everyone know she was a failure. Magpie looked at Agent Lios, "What do you mean. What do you know." She stepped down from the hospital bed. Magpie liked Maya, she was cute, and sunny, always ready to help the hurt. But right now, Lios expressing any kindness was dangerous. It showed she was weak, that she was a failure. "Lios what did you hear."

  Maya stepped back, her waves up in a bun, delicate strands framing her moon shaped face. "N-Nothing. I just," she frowned, backed against a silver trolley tray, tools clicking together, "you just fainted, I-you, you have bruises and blood, sprains, and splinters on you. You're not in a great state, Ariel, I thought you'd want to be the first to look at yourself."

  Magpie looked at her, in Maya's eyes she saw uncertainty and.. fear. She paused, catching her reflection. Her hair was dirty, and her skin was crusted in blood and wood dust, the only clean thing of her was a gown that wasn't even hers. She froze, realizing she wasn't just stalking towards Maya, but her fists were up on her side, ready to punch, her stance was closed and taught for a fight. Ariel forced her shoulders down, her fists to loosen.

  "I.. sorry," Ariel closed her eyes and leaned against the bed, she closed her eyes, breathing through her nose before opening them. "I'm really sorry, Maya, I mean it." Maya nodded stepping forward, unsure if danger was really gone. "I'd never hurt you..," she shook her head. They stood in silence, an uneasy blanket covered the room. Ariel- Magpie, was disturbed, she hadn't expected to _fail_ , much less to become affectionate with an assassin. Ariel internally cussed herself.

  "Hey," Maggie's smiling head appeared in the doorway. Ignoring the mood, and Ariel's gaunt face. "You're awake, and real dirty, c'mon," Maggie grabbed Ariel's wrist, "bye, Maya"

  She led them to the showers, all empty. Silently handing her a bag with clothes and necessities. "You okay, babi?" Maggie asked softly, her hand on Ariel's shoulder, invading her space. It was innocent and intimate. Ariel stepped away, head held high, into the showers, "Not your baby," Ariel muttered before closing the curtains.

 

  "Mortem Squadron reporting," agent Texarkana stated.

  Ariel had showered quickly, by the time she stepped out Maggie was gone. She didn't dwell on it, instead took inventory of herself. Same scars in the same place, an addition of bruises now adorned her abdomen, she pressed at her right rib, were her bruises painted a supernova, nothing she'd die over. Ariel moved onto her face, poking slightly at her cheekbones and nose. Sighing in relief, nothing was broken. She dressed her wounds, cream and bandaids, quickly heading to her execution.

  That was ten minutes ago. Ten minutes for the team to regroup and get their story straight. UFA didn't have much faith in paper, especially after agent Twelve. Paper left space for lies, instead opting for oral, and to record them. Her hair dripping on her shoulders, she waited for them to out her. They didn't. "It's up to you." Keith said quietly.

  Maggie was behind her, drying her hair with a towel, kindly. She didn't tug, or pull, Maggie scooped her hair in the towel and pressed, ringlet of water dampening her wrists. In that moment Ariel could've dreamed against her forever. Instead, Magpie pulled away, she thanked her and scooped her hair in a bun. She looked at her team, "I came in contact with her, we bumped." They all nodded at her, Maggie knew. All Mortem Affairs knew, and none of them would betray her. She faintly wondered if they'd done the same thing for Ryan.

  They entered the office and waited. Ma'am didn't beat around the bush, she looked down her nose at them, unforgiving flat black eyes. "You failed," her voice knelled in their skulls, off the walls, everyone but the team fidgeted. A rectangular table seated six constitutional agents, two men, four women, and they all looked out of their element. Mortem were experienced, brilliant agents. If they failed once, they'd kill to win the second.

  "Agent Llofrudiaeth, Holly," they stepped forward, Holly seemingly relaxed, her right ear twitched microscopically, "y'all may leave." The team stayed quiet, waiting for permission to speak. The door slipped a silent click. "How.. did you fail."

  Fios opened his mouth, "Magpie." Ma'am cut him off, her southern accent thicker.

  She stepped forward, hands to her back. "All protocols were in motion, Ma'am, the guests were checked over, as the perimeter, and staff-"

  "Staff," Ma'am's head froze, but her eyes moved to Keith, she tapped at a folder, "Agent Fios… I have it understood that you did _not_ run everyone through." Ariel stood still, her heart in her throat. Their boss would tear them all apart, when the only one to blame was her. She stepped back, Fios stepped forward, stiffly. "Yes, Ma'am." Agent Fios answered, staring straight ahead.

  "Agent Troi," Ned stepped forward, his hands in fists behind his back, Ariel's heart began speeding up. Oh god. "You, abandoned Goads. You knew he would be murdered and you.. Abandoned. Him." He opened his mouth, words choking to spill out, an excuse, the truth? She didn't know, but she wouldn't blame him. "Yes, Ma'am." Ned finally answered. His knuckles turned white.

  "Agent Texarkana," Ariel forced her face blank, if her mistake were to come to light it wouldn't be thanks to her. "Correct me if I'm wrong," Ma'am never was, "but you didn't secure the restrooms, yes? Where Goads died." Eugene stayed stoic. Out of everyone in the team Eugene was the most impenetrable. "Yes, Ma'am."

  Ma'am stayed silent, the AC sounding like a demon wailing to jump them all. Ariel would welcome it. "Agent Magpie."

  Magpie stepped forward, freshly showered, the only reason she wasn't sweating buckets. "Where.. were you in all this unseemly wreckage." Ma'am's fist tightened on the table. The only warning she'd get if she decided to shoot her.

  "I made contact with the assassin." New plan, she'd lure Assassiness and kill her. She breathed in, and out, a weak attempt to calm herself, to ready for a storm. "I got intimate with the assassin, Ma'am." If she died today at least her voice was steady, and her eyes dry, she'd rather be skinned than shed a tear for anyone.

  Everybody was quiet, the six visiting agents stilled, their eyes wide, she couldn't see her teams face but she knew in her heart, training prevented them from expressing emotions in front of Ma'am.

  Ma'am turned to the office agents, "Out." All six hastily picked their belongings, dashing out the door. Ma'am kept her composure, standing she fixed her skirt, a dangerous smile on her lips, she eyed them all. No doubt Rogue Twelve on her mind. She rounded the table in front of them. "Who knows," she hissed at them, "How many people know." She surrounded them, walking steadily in between each agent, a snake coiling her prey, ready to asphyxiate them any second. She stopped in front of Magpie.

  Magpie stayed still, her hands gripped behind her back, as Ma'am leaned closer. "Nobody else," Ma'am's head snapped to Troi, "Ma'am." He finished weakly.

  "No, but you did, didn't you."

  Keith pressed his lips before speaking, "We all do.."

  Ma'am looked at Texarkana for an answer, he looked her straight in the eye, "Ma'am." Eugene finished for Keith.

  "I have a plan." Magpie spoke up.

  Ma'am cut her off, "You come into contact with her again, you get handled."

  "She knows of UFA."

  At that her team looked at her, Ma'am froze, her eyes slowly narrowed at Ariel. "Do. Not. Lie."

  "She knows of UFA, and my codename," Ariel took a breath, "Ma'am, this death will not be in vain. Mortem Affairs will handle the assassin." Assassiness, Eugene's voice echoed in her head.

  Their boss stared at them, her dark emerald eyes communicating nothing to them, "A month," she sat back on the table, "from today, it's her… or you." Ma'am managed to look at them all. "Tell Holly to fix this," she pointed at the muted TV, silent bullets and inaudible screams. With that they were dismissed.

  The walk to Effie's was quite, all looking like scolded schoolchildren, heads down and in a single line. When they entered Maggie and Holly were waiting for them. They were talking, Maggie wouldn't look Ariel in the eye. "How'd it-" Holly began but stopped when Ned slumped against the table, head in his hands. Eugene dropped back in a corner, slipping a silver flask from his jacket. Keith fell face forward on the sofa.

  "Crikey," Holly's accent getting thicker, "yous got no wucka, c'mon, we'll get tea, maybe some chook, eh, Keith?" She slapped his boots, "or maccas? Yeh?" She looked at them, nobody understood her, they stared back at her. Eugene middrink spoke up, "What.. The FUCK was _that_ ." Keith exploded in laughter, "Holy fuck- _Holly_ fuck, are you worried for us?" He asked between guffaws. Ned wiped tears, "Aw, Holly." Maggie typed furiously in her phone, "uh .. we got nothing to worry bout, do we want food, chicken? McDonald's?" She translated.

  "Fuck'll you," Holly spat at them, "we thought you were fired, evidently y'all are an advanced virus nobody can escape."

  "I'd love chicken," Keith sat up as Holly sat down.

  Maggie looked at Ariel, "what's the prognostic, doc?"

  Ariel's smile pummelled. "Nothing bad," she reassured them.

  Eugene grunted as he left his corner, "it's really not, I mean," he shrugged slinging his jacket on the table, "considering how Rrr… Agent. Twelve. traumatized UFA, I think another day to live is _a great_ feat."

  Holly looked up, " Ryan?" They froze, Holly and Ryan had been like siblings. "Ryan's dead. He couldn't've been involved." Her accent shone, just at the end of involved. Magpie tilted her head, of course Agent Twelve was dead.

  "Ariel sucked face with the assassin," Ned spoke up, circling towards them, falling at the Keith's feet. "So, yeah, y'know," he shrugged, "we almost died 'cuz women are pretty." He gave Holly a tight smile, "also Ma'am wants you to, uh, fix something."

  Ariel sighed, her eyes closed. "I..," she made eye contact with them all, eye contact, encouraging words, and 'open' communication channels were important in convincing- encouraging people, "apologize to you all." Earnest, important, "Goads was a mistake I did, that you all shouldn't have suffered for," she looked at Ned, "I'm sorry."

  Keith began sniffling, "Oh, Ariel," he began dramatically, Maggie hit his head with a Manila folder, "Shaddup, you big goof," she laughed.

  Ned reluctantly shrugged, a small smile, he accepted her apology, Eugene raised his flask at her. Holly stared at her quizzically, calculating.

  "We accept," Maggie stepped forward, "anyways teams that get.. death threats… stay together, yeah?" She laughed, "Boss, these are the reports on the two victims," she handed Ariel the folders, "I took the liberty of finishing Goads."

  With that they began gathering intel on their assassin.

  "We need more." Ariel said. All they had were the bodies reports, and a scattering of useless witness reports from the event. Ned and Eugene had given Keith a basic description of Assassiness and they were still waiting for all databases to infodump them.

  "You need to talk to the witness," Holly spoke up. Eugene nodded, "He's here." He looked at Ariel, "in the US, the mole, say the word, and I get him to you."

  Ariel thought about it, they needed information, anything they could get. But.. "Not today," she shook her head and tapped her watch, "it's two in the morning, you all should get some sleep."

  Her team stood up, grumbling, ordering the papers in stacks, Keith left his computer loading, "I didn't.." he looked abashed, head down holding his wrist, "I know you're not.. you're not in love with Assassiness," he paused then looked up at her through his eyelashes, "You wouldn't."

  Ariel silently watched him walk away.

  "And you, Ariel?"

  Ariel looked away, Maggie. "I.. was wondering if you'd stay," she asked tentative, Maggie's face light up. Even with training, Maggie couldn't hide the way her eyes lit up, shining like the surface of freshly roasted coffee.

  "Yeah, whatever you-"

  Ariel cut her off, a boss couldn't get helicoid with her own teammate. "For a sketch, for her. The assassin."

  "Oh," Maggie nodded, pulling a blank paper from the table, "yeah, no I-," she took a breath and shook her head, "Whenever you want boss."

  Ariel sat opposite Maggie, "I just.. start describing?" She said, trying to picture the woman.

  "Yea-"

  "Caucasian, brown shoulder length hair, a long, oval face, her forehead is small, most of her face is just cheeks." Deceptively trusting, she tried remembering more, "her eyebrows were arched, and her eyes..," a fantasy, "her eyes were grey, the clearest clouds in a storm. With a sheer covering of green.  Almost like sea glass except, hers were see through, she has depth, you could .. just slip and never stop falling.."

  Ariel got lost in thought, she wasn't with Maggie anymore instead she was back in the event, flashing through all the scenes, observing Assassiness.

  "She has a bright red mouth, her lips are bow shaped and permanently upturned, the top lip curves in a permanent impish smile," Ariel squinted her own mouth turning up slightly, "her bottom lip is full and wide. Her mouth is wide too, when she smiles the corners of her lips end in sharp points, her smile takes over one third of her face." Ariel looked at Maggie, doubled over the paper, nodding. "And her nose was," she thought harder, "her cheeks were blushed, like a cherubs, high and full, and her nose was…" She scowled, the woman's nose was cute, "normal, narrow, and _just_ snubbed."

  "She's slender, with wide, violin dipped, hips, but toned." That can be felt when she presses against you. Ariel began remembering her body, muscles that could be felt when she moved, soft, flush against her, she began heating up.

  Maggie paused, most people would've already finished, but Ariel was looking faraway. A picture nobody could see, and apparently worth every ounce of her attention. She studied her, Ariels wide blue eyes wondering, her hair had softened and slipped from her bun, blushing, she was beautiful. But not what she was looking for, she studied Ariel for agent Twelve, for love. But how do you trace love?

  "That's enough." Ariel jumped, she'd forgotten about Llofrudiaeth.

  Maggie stood up and stuck the drawing to the center of their board.

  "Tomorrow we'll talk to the witness, get information and track her from Keith's programs, yeah?" Maggie looked at Ariel, she touched her arm, waiting for her to stand up. "Right now we'll rest…" Ariel was staring at the drawing, enraptured, "Magpie, let's go."

Maybe she should've looked for infatuation

* * *

 

 

  Assassiness stared at her ceiling, on her bed. She'd dragged her laptop open, tracing Magpie. It had led her nowhere, wherever she was, was blocking local signal.

  She traced her lips, remembering Softly's lips, how she'd breathed against her mouth. Lightly kissing her bottom lip. She tapped her bruised chin, the barbarian look in her eyes when she threw them off the stairs. Magpie's punches landing true on Assassiness' face. Assassiness was enraptured.

  The kissing and touching, the heated breaths and moans were nice, but the punching. The sharp, _lively_ look in Magpie's eyes, her lips curled in a quiet ravenous smirk. Her breath quickened, heart thrilled in her ribcage, just thinking about how the agent had felt on top of her. There'd been a beat of a second where Softly was holding her wrists above her head, right before she pulled back to punch her. Her hand wandered down her stomach, the image and sensation of Magpie's body against her colliding and merging with the anger and power of her punches. Her slender finger slipped underneath her underwear, she wondered about Magpie. Her codename blocking her airway. Magpie, soft, and powerful, a whimper escaped her, Magpie's hands on her throat, her eyes rolled back as her fingers pressed flush into her.

  Becky turned her head against her pillow, a muffled lazy cry slipping away from her mouth, Softly choking her, punching her abdomen, pulling at her hair, she bit into the pillow, her pants getting louder and louder, her fingers faster and faster. "Fuck," she she winced, her back arching. Becky breathed, feeling her sweat slid by her temples.

  Softly liked art, she knew that, she'd watched her staring at the event. Maybe.. before she killed her she could give her a gift, a parting gift. Assassiness could give her art, bloody, warm art. Magpie would love it, she was sure.

* * *

 

A phone rang on a nightstand, next to a marshmallowesque cloud of a comforter, no body on sight. A hand shot out from the cloud snatched the phone, following Becky sat up, aggravated.

She'd left headquarters and found an apartment in a clean, extravagant hotel. Pretty sure she saw some royal getting it with a woman with a gun, who knows. The golden chandelier had reflected some light, blinding her. And maybe they slipped into her bed… and she kicked them out three hours later. Who knows.

"Assassiness." A little phone shrilled. Becky huffed.

"McClintock..," she got out of the bed, slipped on satin robe and sauntered to the restroom, "My dear, Love of my life, the apple of-"

"Assassiness. You. Have. A. Job." Her handler gritted out. She could just imagine him, his mouth quivering in a snarl, hand clenching, open closed, open closed. Pretty sure they were imagining wringing her neck.

Assassiness rolled her eyes, she turned on the shower.

"It's four a.m.-"

"You should be there _before-"_

"And," she sharply cut him off. She'd been doing this job far longer than his children were alive, " _I will._ The center doesn't open until eight, I will be two whole hours early. In fact I will be the first in. _Banjo."_ She heard him hiss curses in Louisianan french, whatever. She ended the call.

Lordega had given her one last job before her forced vacation. Fibonacci had gotten information on a loose end, somebody had told the UFA of her, and now she was going to fix it. Assassiness was going to infiltrate into the Ugly Mole Man's cell and kill him. She'd pass as a lunch lady, then a prison guard. Assassiness would deliver Ugly Mole Man his food. And she paint concrete walls with his blood, drape the bars with ribbons of his intestines. Her knife would slide into his skin and leave a reminder to all to never, she got out of the shower and stared at her reflection, ever. Fucking double cross her.

* * *

 

"Center of Rehabilitation?" Ariel put down the paper, she turned to Eugene perplexed. "Our only witness, the only man, who we know of, that has survived to tell us _her_ -"

Eugene was driving the van, it was important for them to not crash. Eyes must be on the road. He smiled, and turned to her, complete forty-five degree angle turn.

"Eyes!" Ariel gripped the door.

"Sorry, sorry," he turned, "we needed something inconspicuous, somewhere so.. _lame_ , nobody would go looking for him." Eugene cast her aside glance, "Ariel, Brent,"

She raised an eyebrow, oh, Brent.

"We need him to feel comfortable, at ease. The more trust we gain the more info we'll have," he said, having seen her face,"he's also too white.. no offence."

Ariel scrunched her nose, chortling.

"Stupid white bitch boy," Ned poke his head from the back of the van. "Dumb as rocks."

"Ned, _you're_ a dumbass white bitch boy, too," Eugene said before restarting his sentence, ignoring Ned's flying slappy hands. "Brent still runs the risk of being killed, the building has underground cells-"

"Keith is monitoring them," Ned added.

"Speaking of," Maggie appeared next to Ned, she waved her phone in the air. "Keith says we're going to be met by somebody bringing him breakfast."

"Ugh," Eugene parked the car, "local cops are _such_ and annoyance."

"Eugene, _you're_ an annoyance," Ariel laughed at his face, sliding the door open for her team.

They were innocuously dressed, jeans a jumper. Running shoes, a mismatch family here to greet their beloved recovering addict dad. Guns hidden under their sweaters, and pants, the weather helping them with layering.

Magpie turned to them, "A simple interrogation," they all nodded, "we don't wanna go so far we lose him."

They entered the building, sickening vomit green-yellow walls greeted them, and only them. The rest of the staff was dead, in the zombie, depressed adults way. An elevator dinged close.

As they stepped forward the receptionist raised an eyebrow at them, "All visitors have to wait-" he drawled.

"We're here for _work_ ," Eugene leaned on the counter, eyes heavy on his eyes. Edward's, the receptionist, mouth opened round.

"Oh, o _h,_ uh, uhh," the receptionist stuttered, looking for papers, or codes, or receptionist things. "Well, um,"

Magpie stepped forward, ready to threaten.

"We already sent breakfast, they- he," he turned to the elevators, "took the keys.." Edward looked nervously at them, "the only key."

They all stared at him, so. "I mean.. maybe if you.. like," he squinted at them, the face of somebody about to offer the dumbest solution to people who could end him, "run.. after him?"

Maggie and Eugene's face recoiled, they spoke with their eyes, 'run? what?', Ned looked offended, hand on his chest, face screwed up. Ariel closed her eyes and sighed her deepest sigh. "Right. Let's go."

They turned towards the closest door, and opened it.

"Uh.. that's… the closet," Mortem Affairs all turned, Edward pointed to the door behind him, "these- the stairs, they're.."

They're nostrils flared in annoyance, "It's only one floor," Edward the receptionist softly cheered as the door closed behind them.

On their third step Maggie spoke up, "we should kill him."

Eugene and Ned nodded appreciatively, they hmmed and hawed.

Ariel shook her head, "C'mon, I can see the door it's literally twenty steps."

"What are we thinking?" Ned said, they were five steps away, the door just right in front of them, "Electrocution? Strangulation?"

Ariel placed a hand on the door knob, "We're gonna talk to 'Brent', and leave," she looked back at them, twisting the knob, "no deaths."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels like a filler, but otherwise I'd have to turn in one near 10k chapter,


	4. life during wartime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm gay and i CRAVE

A long cement hallway on one end a dark grey door, locked, at the other an elevator. And in between ten criss cross thick steel bars, housing the, current, most coveted criminal in the building. Ugly, curled asleep in his cot.  

A ding echoed, the elevator open with a quiet hiss, out Assassiness sauntered from the elevator, a black boots in front of the other, with the swagger of a drunk about to face a lamppost. Content and confident with a snug knife in her back. On one hand she balanced a metal tray of 'food', the other twirled the cell keys on a finger.

She paused in front of the cage, eyes roaming the Traitors body, soft arms, soft cheeks… perfect for her blade to glide through. With the tray on the ground next to her, Assassiness slipped the key in, 

Quiet, quiet oh.. so quiet, she turned the lock.

Her free hand reaching back, back to her belt, back for the Ugly Mole Man's sentence.

A rattling bang shocked her, she froze. Striking metal sheets echoed in the hallway.

Becky turned to the door. The dark grey door was rattling in its hinges, the knob twisting and turning ineffective, just for the noise. She turned her attention back to the man in front of her, he was beginning to wake up.

Dammit, Assassiness thought. The door stopped, she moved faster, hand pulling the key, inserting it, her knife was out already, if she was fast enough. Just enough, one savage, ripping, teae to his throat would fill her for a week.

 

"Hello?"

"Hey!!" 

"Open the door! We know you're there!!"

* * *

 

Damnit, damnit. She growled, rattling the door, the man woke up. Fuck you, Becky thought. She pulled from the cage and towards the door.  She was going to scream at them, who the fuck.

"Good afternoon," she pulled back from the door, "sorry for the disturbance," it was her. Becky's pupils widened, her breath stuck in her throat. She stepped back, allowing them in. Cutting in front of the rest of the agents, all she could see was blond hair, her bright clear blue eyes. Magpie.

"Is he awake?"

Becky shook out of her stupor, Magpie was talking, looking at her. Magpie was focusing on her.. She cleared her throat, 

"sorry?" Becky asked in a thick, thick Welsh accent. Somebody tapped her shoulder behind her, it was the loverboy. The blond man, he was smiling at her with no lips, just a curved dark line in his face.

"We're here to interrogate.. him," he pointed behind her, to the Mole.

Becky looked at the mumbling man, he was sitting upright, rubbing the last dregs of unconsciousness from his eyes, she looked back at them, the blond, the tall pretty man, and… some other woman holding a backpack. Assassiness looked back to the cell, her eyes moving Magpie. 

Fuck shitshit fuck, shiit noo.

"Can't."

They stilled, four pair of unamused eyes on Becky.

Softly smiled at her, she  _ was _ the leader, Assassiness thought pleased. Good for her.

"Why.. not."

"I do not have keys," Assassiness grimaced apologetically, "forgot them," she pointed up.

Somebody breathed impatiently, behind her.

"That's fine," Magpie said smiling, "we just need to talk to him, look-" she turned to the caged man, "hey, can you-"

"I'm in a  _ cage  _ not  _ deaf _ ," he answered snippily, growling at the floor.

"Nice," Loverboy cheered.

Dorian Gray nodded, and turned to her, "We'll be-"

"So sorry," Assassiness shook her head, she can't just fucking let them interrogate him. He'd sell her in a heartbeat, the unprofessionalism of it all. "I need to give him his breakfast, but need to get keys.." she looked at them. "Nobody can be alone with him. So sorry" that's it they would leave and she'd get on with it, and everything would be better. She'd have the UFA off her damn Dior silk panties. Forget Softly, she breathed, she was turning into too much trouble.

"Well.." Magpie began, "there's four of us," and Assassiness could kill them all, "they could go for your keys and… I stay back?" 

She felt everyone behind her tense, why. What did they know, Asassiness held her fists tight, did they already know, was this a trap, where they all  _ playing _ her. It took everything in her to not turn and go at their throats like a feral toddler with scissors.

Meanwhile, Eugene, Maggie, and Ned had one cursed, loathing thought as they walked to the elevator: Edward the Receptionist.

Assassins stuck to the door, think dammit, she didn't wake up five hours early for nothing. She could fight Magpie, she'd done it once and lived- but if she had a gun…

* * *

 

“Magpie,” Llofrudiaeth began.

She cut them off, "listen, the quicker you are, the sooner we'll be gone, yeah?"

They grumbled and nodded, Eugene lingered, "be careful," his eyes slid towards the guard.

Magpie looked at the kid, around her height, slender, barely a patch of pubes on his chin, Welsh- nervous. Were they only hiring highschool kids now?

Ariel smiled winningly at him, "While we're here could I.."

The boy shook his head, "No breakfast, yes interrogation?" he shook her head, "Inhumane."

The boy was sweating staring at anything but her. Ariel opened her mouth, there was no reason for the kid to be so scared, when her eyes caught on something shiny in their coat. Keys. She froze, keys. The whole reason they were late was because there were no  _ extra _ keys, because the  _ guard _ had the  _ keys.  _ And there, in his jacket.

The kid finally turned to her, his hand was on the door, Magpie smiled again, no reason to alert- the kid brought a knife out. Shit. She dug into her waistband, for her gun, when he lunged, he just slammed into her shoulder, her gun flew out. Fuck. 

The kid-guard- who..? Who.. was- her thoughts were interrupted with a series of heavy punches to her abdomen. Magpie snatched the cap showing a shock of dark curls, before she was pulled from the wall and punched in the mouth and thrown to the other side of the hallway. Away from the 'guard', and away from her gun.

She watched the guess make quick of their time, they turned to the cage pulling a jangle of keys, and a wicked knife out, it glinted in the badly lit hallway. When she heard a howl of fear, a loud ugly noise, something out of an indie horror film. 

Brent.

FUCK.

Magpie shot up, running to her gun, she'd wasted time but she'd shoot Assassiness. The guard would die today.

She cocked her gun and entered the fighting ring. 

The guess was on top of Brent, his face bloody, a red bubble popped in his nostrils, his eyes were wet, a knife up above their heads, poised to kill.

Magpie shot a warning sign into the cot. She needed resources, information, she needed them alive.

"Put. Your." Magpie began growling, stepping closer to the frozen shape of the attacker, "Hands-"

The guard moved, Magpie froze in a fighting stance, suddenly they turned. They made eye contact. Ocean green eyes, like a storm brewing within, a spark of mischief; Magpie's heart skipped a beat, her mouth opened with- with anger.

A wide, sharp smirk cut across her face, she turned her whole body to Magpie, roughly slamming Brent's head against the pavement, he groaned. Properly standing, Magpie could now  _ see _ Assassiness. Her nose, her mouth, she didn't even have eye contacts.

Magpie didn't waver, she kept the gun up, trained on the moving, slinking predator infront of her. That didn't stop Assassiness from advancing, and certainly not from touching Magpie. She touched the tip, the guns, just a light touch that moved. From the top, to the side, barely touching, Magpie's heart was a parakeet slamming in its cage. It wanted … it wanted  _ out _ . Assassiness found Magpie's finger, she paused there, her eyes looked down, then back at her. She was, Ariel pressed her lips together, swallowed, Assassiness was observing her. Assassiness added more exploring fingers- oh that was a bad thought. 

"You're under arrest," she feebly breathed out. Assassiness silently shook her head when she dipped down onto her hand.

Her right arm cupped Ariel's elbow, the other pushed Magpie's cupped her hands to her face. This would've alarmed Ariel, but Assassiness's mouth. Her hot, and heavy breathes were right by her knuckles. Assassiness angled her head, her nose over the meat of her thumb, and her mouth touched Ariel's skin. Ariel gasped, Assassiness have her hand and open mouthed kiss, her tongue pressed firmly against her metacarpals. Her mouth closed tighter as she pulled away. Ariel's brow furrowed, her mouth tightly closed, and still her throat betrayed her, emitting low groans. She was sucking. That was a proper suck, Assassiness pulled back, just enough to look her in the eye. Ariel looked between her hand, a string of saliva between Assassiness parted lips, panting, and her eyes, wide, the pupil blown.

They stared at each other.

Assassiness moved closer the hand on Magpie's elbow moved down to her hips, pulling her closer, Magpie allowed her.  Ariel opened her arms, the hand holding the gun moving to pull Assassiness by her head towards her. Each searching for pressure, for a mouth to tear into, pushing into each other, fists in their hair, only pulling apart to breathlessly pant. Assassiness let out quick breath as, desperate. They wanted. Ariel's mouth was open, needing to be immersed. They craved.

Brent screamed and ran, smart.

He saw an opportunity and ran for it, smart

He didn't it loudly and without a plan, Brent.

Brent's sudden spurt of action snapped the two women into action. And right at that moment her team rushed out of the elevator.

Somebody screamed for her, others for Brent, another profanities, and all of them collectively thought fuck. The last thing Magpie saw was Assassiness lunging for Brent, her team on the other side- like a moving Renaissance painting- when evng went pitch black. 

The lights had been turned off.

Magpie scrambled out, letting go of her gun. A gun in the dark was useless. Once out of the cage she body slammed the nearest  person.

She was answered by a single, gwui e "Fuck!"

"Fios?" Magpie helped him up by her arm.

"H-hey," he elongated the e. "Boss."

"Flashlight." she ordered without preamble, a few seconds and she had one in her hand. Thank you nerds.

She turned it on and pointed it at the loudest scuffle, a group of swarming limbs, pulling and jabbing. She loudly ordered them to stop, searching for a specific uniform. In that split second of silence they all hear a door open and slam open.

"The door!" Troi moved to get up, she stopped him.

"Troi, Llofrudiaeth, Fios stay with Brent," she ordered, looking away from Brent's accusatory eyes, "Texarkana-"

"Right behind you boss." She turned for her gun, and quickly led them outside. Up the stairs, and out. There people flinched in fear, already holding onto each other protectively.

Edward stuttered, "Out! To the right." He had a hand to his chest, blood seeping through his tanned fingers.

Magpie grimaced and nodded. They stormed through the doors, guns up turning every which way. She stepped to the right. Eugene held her back, "What," she snapped, "you go-"

"Not today boss," he looked intensely at her.

Not today, her brain echoed, Not. Today. Then  _ when _ .

Before realizing everyone was staring and trying to run away. She nodded.

"We have what we came for," Texarkana mumbled behind her, "we're a step closer to shutting her down." And still he didn't let go off her arm.

Eugene didn't trust Ariel wouldn't run away with Assassiness.

* * *

 

Becky tore her jacket off, trying the arms she made a makeshift bag, in it she put her wig, and pants, underneath she had something black, and short. If you squinted it was sleepwear, but if anyone squinted at her she was fucked.

She heard the doors slam open, Assassiness didn't dare looked over, she had ran away and hidden in between the space next to the building. She waited a few minutes before braving to look over there corner.

Nothing.

She exhaled a chuckle, before limping towards her hotel. It was near, right across.

One of them, or somebody, had caught her twice. A powerful punch to her ribs, a kick to the thigh, she'd scrambled away as fast as she could.

Alive.. but at what cost.

They had Brent, alive, Magpie had seen her, and lived, she had injuries. Lordega would kill her.

In her suite, she showered and sat in her bed. Naked, hair dripping water into the very expensive bed, waiting for her handler to call. Fucking McClintock would have a field day. Her phone rang.

She answered and waited silently. A string guffaw exploded on the other end, "Fuck you," she sneered.

"You di'nt kill em?" He wheezed, "Ha!"

"Not right now," she answered, tersely, "I had..,"  the memory of Magpie holding a gun, then cupping her face, flashed through her mind's eye, "some complications. Nothing-"

"Losing yer touch ar' ye."

Assassiness froze, her back straightened, and she looked straight ahead, her face smooth and her eyes blank. She breathed in and out.

"Now look, a' don't blame-"

"Don't call me, I'll call you."

Assassiness stood up, she had been in this shit for years near three  _ decades. _ Becky didn't'burn out' or 'lose her touch'. Assassiness didn't lose  _ anything. _ She was the best of the best, Tinman had been her mentor, and now there was no Man above her. Not Korn or Banjo.

She might'nt know where they took Bennet, what they knew, where Magpie worked, much less where she lived.

But she did know where the transmission ended. Back in the dance, she had slipped attacker, it was degradable, but withstands up to forty-eight hours. She had thirty-six.

Assassiness had a plan. Stalk Magpie. Kill Magpie.

* * *

 

Back in headquarters, Mortem Affairs huffed in their own seats. They had place Brent under strict security, ensure nothing was broken, mechanically reported back to Ma'am. And now they existed. Breathing. Thinking. Staring dumbly into the void.

"Well?" Holly stood in front of them, a hand out. "Anyone want to tell me what occurred?"

She looked at Eugene, "hm?" She raised an eyebrow at Ned, "No?" She addressed Keith. "... Maggie?"

Maggie fixed her eyes on Holly, unseeing, then blinked back on. 

"But you already know? You talked to.." Maggie fluttered her hands to the space, "y'know.. the pariahs," reporters, "you already know everything."

Holly huffed, "I know what Ma'am told me, but I would really like it if my  _ own _ tema talked to me? Mm? Too hard for y'all?"

Ariel stood up, her hips popped.

"Somebody was there to kill Brent," she began, encouraging herself. She needed Holly to fully accept her, not just professionally, but personally. Network, in and out, UFA taught her that. "We don't know who,"

"Assassiness," Eugene pepped, he looked at them with a smirk, "I landed a few hits," very confident with himself. The cat that bit the rat's head off.

"She still got away," Maggie reminded him.

He sighed, the cat realising it was a fake rat. "Yeah"

"I mean.. we have blood," Fios said helpfully, "with Brent's interview we can shorten the pool of suspects, better than white, and brunette"

"So…," Holly raised an eyebrow at them, her eyes sliding to the side, "what now?" Holly knew what now, she was basically the only one with self preservation, they interviewed 'Bront'.

Eugene sighed the loudest, his head hitting the sofa he was on, "We interview Brent," he whined. With that they all stood up.

* * *

 

Ma'am watched them. She was in her office looking in the monitors, there was a camera in every room of the building, including three blocks out of it. No such thing as paranoia in this field, she'd been taught. And right now she was watching Mortem Affairs, they weren't a hassle, usually. But Magpie.

Magpie, was a great soldier, she internalized every single tact the company employed into their employees. Ma'am wondered if a little too well. But at the moment, ever since Assassiness, Rebecca, Ariel had dregs of.. of something  _ uncontrollable _ .

Ma'am knew of Fibonacci, and Lordega of UFA. They were… sister companies. They crossed all the time, but usually not so head on that somebody needed to die.

Yet Ricky and Tinsley had happened. That had been a necessity. An unfortunate play, nonetheless imperative. They were  _ conspiring _ , putting the companies in  _ danger _ . Those two knew better than to play with fire.

And now, they're replacements seemed to mirror them?

Ma'am propped her elbows on her desk, her chin on her knuckles, watching Magpie with hawk like eyes. Magpie… Assassiness. No.

Their mistake with Ricky and Tinsley was that they were  _ good _ people. It was latent in Tinsley, but Ryan-  _ RICKY _ . In Richard it was always there. He didn't 'bond' because the company said too, he did it because he was friendly, naturally, he helped people, protected women, talked to the elderly, etc., because he wanted too. Richard did not believe suffering was negotiable, why allow suffering if it can be stopped, he'd ask. She couldn't have that. So she condemned him

But the last straw, the one that made him dangerous to them was the truth. He found out the truth of them, UFA, Fibonacci. Then, to top it all off, reconnaissance found C.C. Tinsley and Agent Twelve  _ fraternizing _ . Lordega and Ma'am reopened their personal communication channels, and came upon a consensus. 

Richard Goldsworth would kill C.C. Tinsley.

Or C.C. Tinsley, Richard Goldsworth. Whoever was first, it didn't really matter. It was easy, even if they didn't believe in the company they had to follow the rules, if not then their own would kill them. Either way they would die. It worked.

But this. She couldn't place her finger on what she was seeing. What she knew. Lordega had confided she'd send someone on Magpie, it was fine. She trusted Magpie could live. That was the difference in the first and them.

Magpie believed in UFA, no matter what. She did things because of the company. How she dressed, what she said, who she talked to, and how she talked. Assassiness, Lordega trusted too, she was obsessed. She obsessed over her job, the ways she could help, there was no one else, she was  _ incapable _ . Like Magpie. She only ever did for the company.

How they were interacting, Ma'am watched Magpie, she was staring at the sketch of Assassiness. It was a very good one. I she didn't know better she'd think Ariel would trade them for Becky

Thinking and thinking, Ma'am leaned back in her chair. Letting go of Ariel with her eyes, she would just have to trust Ariel wouldn't fall in love. At that Ma'am let out a little chuckle, turning to her paperwork, Ariel.. love.

* * *

 

"Won't talk," Holly said entering from the interrogation room.

They had all moved to finally know more. To meet Brent. And now he wouldn't even speak to them. Ariel had sent Holly and Keith, Keith was a social popstar, Holly had brains for people. It hadn't worked.

"You kept calling him Bruce," Keith had his arms up to his shoulders, squinting, his mouth open, "that's not even his middle name." He said indignantly. Holly rolled her eyes.

"I mean she did call him Bront." Eugene said, "Bruce was an upgrade," Ned pointed out.

Ariel sighed heavily, it was five in the afternoon. None of them had eaten, they were still a little scuffed from the scuffle earlier, sore from having Assassiness hand them their ass, and desperate for information. They were all annoyed.

Magpie straightened up and slammed the door open, they didn't have  _ time _ .

"Brent Bennet," she ordered in her most militaristic voice, "do you understand we are the  _ only  _ thing between you an-"

"Ah," Brent smiled contently, leaning back in his chair. "Magpie.. finally, sit sit," he pointed at the only other chair.

Magpie looked at the mirror, she shouldn't it was a bad sign. It said ' don't know what's happening', and 'I'm playing the game, not making it',  _ bad _ things to communicate to your prisoner. Nonetheless, Magpie sat.

"You're gonna talk kn-"

"So, your gay?" He looked curiously at her. Magpie stared for a second, then smiled, big. Wide. She turned to the mirror, this time deliberately. They knew what it meant.

"Brent…" Magpie began standing up, "I really was hoping you'd be of willing assistance."

They would torture the information out of him.

* * *

 

Becky ignored Banjos call for the fourth time. She was right where the signal disappeared. She looked around, this was a nice artsy location, nothing like what was three blocks away. Everything was gray, and ugly, one building, in the ugliest block, was brick and even it's walls seemed to only stand by pure desperation to exist.

But this, she sat in a little table in a bicycle themed bistro, this was very nice. She blended in properly amongst all the young, and shiny. Her pretty, flowing, baby blue suit complemented with the atmosphere. She breathed in happily, exhaling her worries.

When she saw  _ him _ . Kornfeld.

She saw his reflection, it was coming closer, she closed her eyes. Maybe he wouldn’t spot her.

“Ohhh my god,” he clapped his hands to his cheeks. Fuck.

“Hi,” she waved with two fingers.

“What! A coincidence!” He sat down across her, a genuine smile on her face.

She grimaced, it wasn't that she hated him, it was that… she didn’t not hate him. Especially after he accepted the assignment that was for  _ her _ . Magpie.

She ordered a coffee from the nearest waitress. "So, what are you-"

"Oh well," he looked around, like a fucking spy, then leaned forward, "that's confidential." He winked at her. "Denisse." She deadpanned. His face pouted, "yeah, I read your file…" he glanced up at her through his eyelashes.

There he was, Becky's face curled amused, that was the reason why she hated him. His little cute act, his height, mannerisms, words. All an act this was the real Qwerdoh, it was really cuerda, rope in spanish, but he was still white.

Qwerdoh fiddled with something below the table, most likely a rope, his eyes followed a blond woman, Magpie they both thought, then back to her. "I read your report." She shrugged, Lordega heard it first." 

"She know you're here?" He asked but they both knew the answer. He moved forward, the waitress came by. His shoulders dropped, the smile came back. "Hi!" He grinned with all his teeth. The waitress smiled. When she left his demeanor changed. He didn't look like an awkward man with alot of body hair, and a strange skinny body, he was meaner, he was business. "This is  _ my _ job," he looked at her steady, she raised an eyebrow. "Do _ not _ intervene."

"I have no-"

He interrupted her, she took the time to bring the cup to her mouth. She liked it when people were mean, it felt.. real. "You're on probation," Assassiness looked back at him, her cup a millimeter from her mouth, "everybody knows," he leaned further, he was looking for a twitch, "you barely got Goads," Assassiness wasn't scared, "you did a Tinman," yet she didn't move, or drink, "you couldn't even get  _ Brent _ ." He was smiling at her, none of the fake 'genuine' smiles. A real one. The one that allowed his psychotic tendencies to surface. "You're losing your touch, love." Qwerdoh gave her a nod before walking away.

She stayed there, as much as she covered her anger, she  _ knew  _ some of it slipped nonetheless. At best they'd think she was constipated, worst they'd think he'd broken up with her.

Assassiness stayed there, in the seat, her coffee cold. The sun lowered, golden hour, then more, shepherd's delight, she stayed all day, her eyes flitting on any blond. None of the bistro workers walkers to her, she was pretty, and quiet but there was an intensity about her that was dangerous.

As this happened, as the sky painted with the colors of the wind, and underpaid workers slipped quietly by her Brent  confessed.

Like a dinner in a Catholic church, as if anonymity was an option he just cried, he begged, very loudly. It didn't matter, as long as UFA got what it wanted. In one memorable string of unintelligible words he apologized to Magpie. When Holly asked for clarification he looked at Magpie and said nothing. Squeezing his eyes shut, tears slipping between his lashes, he shook his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> life during wartime, is a song that really does get these two idiots, by sherri rene scott


	5. Wires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariel gives some... Becky gets some

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck ma**e*  
> Wires from theNeighbourhood

Several screams and blood splatters on the brick walls atoms, nothing the cleaning department couldn't clean and more escapist tendencies couldn't solve, Ariel's team finally had some information.   
Or at least enough that with legal jargon four pages could be filled out. All in all a pretty good way to end dawn.   
After Brent's body was properly discarded Ariel send her team home. The satisfaction of a well done job heavy in her mouth she smiled at her boss. No thoughts of a slender assassin in her mind.  
She drove humming, her windows rolled down, the wind making a mess of her hair, blowing it across her face and still Ariel smiled.  
Soon the mission would be done. The sky was dark, dark like the bad nights but she didn't pay mind. The twinkling stars, and the bright moon giving light to anyone to see her profile.  
She passed trees, cars, pedestrians all caught up in their own world's. She passed late night runners with their dogs, and laughing youths, sober but loud and red. And she even passed a little cafe. She slowed, the happiness in her calm but still making her reckless enough to think of taking a late night dark chocolate cake from the little cafe. Her car slowed to a crawl.  
Is it too late?  
She passed cracked sidewalks, drooping half up plants in clay pots.  
She passed a lonely brunette in the cafe.  
Slowly… slowly.. slowly.  
Ariel bit her lip, could she afford a snack? It was late, she thought, she had to sleep, it was four in the morning.  
Slowly… slowly.. slowly.  
Ariel drove away.  
Blinking, slowly… slowly. Blinking.  
The brunette stood from her table.  
Her breath hitched.  
Faster. Faster. Faster.  
Assassiness threw a twenty and pennies at the table and ran to her car. Her eyes tracking the blond.  
Soon the mission would be done. The sky was dark, dark like the bad nights but she didn't pay mind. The twinkling stars, and the bright moon giving light to anyone to see her wild sharp smile.  
The quicker she strived for her actions to be the less she concentrated on her actions. All mental energy rapt on the blond agent.   
Becky missed a simple black 1992 Toyota Cressida giving her a steady tail.

Soon they all arrived. Ariel parked in front of an apartment complex. It wasn't shiny, or up to Becky's standards but… it had a roof.  
They watched her leave her car.  
Two sets of eyes trailing a blond head. Two sets of hands twitching against separate steering wheels. One mouth exhaling in excitement.  
Qwerdohs face held a hard face. If he did this right Fibonacci would finally see Assassiness was useless and he would be recognized as the top employee.  
Ariel opened her door. If she did this right Ariel would choke her. She paused, Ariel would die. She nodded, right. Murder.

Ariel closed her door, sighing heavily. She was tired, happy and satisfied but she needed sleep. Magpie got weird when she didn't sleep, or eat.. or workout… or talk with another person.  
She chucked her jacket on the floor, ignorant to the circling assassin's around her. Tree branches tapping her windows, tap tap tapping to be let in, tap tap sit down and let me make you bleed.  
Assassiness came through the front of the apartment. Too eager to think. She looked up catching a few strands of blond before they disappeared.  
Qwerdoh waited for a window to light up, at four in the morning, in this neighborhood not many people would be up. Ariel turned on a lamp. Smiling to himself Qwerdoh circled around and quickly climbed up. Only nine stories, they both thought.

Ariel stripped off her pants and guns, and just quickly discarded on her floor, ass swiftly snug in soft old gray pants. Her first real four hours of sleep. Or they would be if several didn't happened at once.  
Ariel sat on her bed, her door clicked open and shut, quick, a scratching noise on her window.  
Frozen, she quickly moved, down on all fours, reaching for a discarded gun.  
"Shh," a looming shadow appeared over her. "I wouldn't do that."  
Ariel slowly looked up, eyes finding military boots, unconventional for a break in, black cargo pants, several pockets, conventional for a break in. Hips… nice. And finally, her face. Without hesitation Magpie snatched her gun, cocked and pointed at Assassines.  
Assassiness smiled, genuinely, and waved, "Hi, how ar-"  
Magpie fired. Assassiness dodged.  
A resounding "Fuck" exclaimed from her living room. They paused hearing a scrambling body coming closer. "You fucking asshole!"  
Assassiness's eyes widened, a silent shit escaped her mouth. Without a word, or more than a sentence- she did say fuck you-, Magpie launched onto Assassiness. She'd deal with the second intruder once she finally eliminated this little shit.  
"Wait, wai-ack," Magpie slammed her gun against her throat, Becky pushed her off and "Him! Shoot him!" She hoarsely coughed. The door slammed open. Ariel frozen, holding a loaded gun like a mallet, Becky red like a pig, and coughing like a dog.   
Qwerdoh stared at them, holding a knife like a toddler holding stolen candy. He smiled, "Heey, you're not dead." He smiled, and for a second Ariel relaxed, she could snap into. Until her brain turned on and she saw how sharp he was, how perfectly unassuming he seemed.   
He stepped forward, and before Becky could warn her Ariel threw herself at him, or more like ramming sheep do head-butted into him. With a push he landed on his ass.  
"Owie," he complained, "I'm sensitive."   
Becky scrambled to the doorway, "Kill him!" She cheered, Ariel whipped her across her skull with her gun. The skinny man saw his opportunity and charged at Ariel, knife first. She lunged to the side, swiftly smashed him by her shoulder, he flew back. She cocked her guns and pointed it at him. Or tried, he kept scrambling. Like a little mouse. He didn't want the cat to catch him. From the corner of her eye she saw a shadow move. She turned and fired.  
Becky flinched but kept scrambling on her knees. "I'm helping!!" She squealed. Qwerdoh ran away from her. Consequently away from where he wanted to go. The window. Becky slammed the window close, and locked. She turned to Ariel and gave her a thumbs up, blood dropped from her nose to her grinning mouth.   
Qwerdoh silently cursed her. "We're. Coworkers." He spat at Assassines. Ariel turned to Becky eyebrows raised, "it's not what you think," Becky said.  
Distracted, Qwerdoh launched at Ariel, knocking the gun from her. Knife discarded somewhere in the rug Qwerdoh used the next best thing, his boney knuckles. He punched her, Becky ran to them.  
"Get off," Magpie spat. She turned and punched him back. Assassiness stopped. She watched Magpie punch Qwerdoh. He pushed against her, and she punched harder. He punched her stomach, with a pant she squeezed his ribcage with her thighs and punched him. Qwerdoh's face bloody. His nose smashed in. His blood smearing Magpies knuckles, making her punches slip from his face to her floors. His knobby knees twitched. He no longer tried to push her off. He looked at Becky, croaking with his last strength, he reached towards her. His fingers bloody, he croaked.  
Assassiness's looked back at Magpie. Soon Qwerdoh would be done with. Her eyes like the sky outside. The sky was dark, dark like the bad nights but they didn't pay mind. The twinkling stars, and the bright moon giving light to anyone to see another day Qwerdoh wouldn't see for intervening in their dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was a little more fun.  
> New lifeHack, write at ,10pm when u should b sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Based off Killing eve, ... obvious I've never watched the show? Yikes, anyways this is all self-indulgent, all I know is their gonna smash, n people will suffer for it


End file.
